New King James Version
Psalms 118:12
12They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
Psalms 118:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
- New International Version (NIV)They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
- English Standard Version (ESV)They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
- New Living Translation (NLT)They swarmed around me like bees; they blazed against me like a crackling fire. But I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
Context of Psalms 118:12
10All nations surrounded me, But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. 11They surrounded me, Yes, they surrounded me; But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. 13You pushed me violently, that I might fall, But the Lord helped me. 14The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.
Read all of Psalms 118Psalms 118:12 word by word
סַבּ֤וּנִי כִדְבוֹרִ֗ים דֹּ֭עֲכוּ כְּאֵ֣שׁ קוֹצִ֑ים בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- They compassed me aboutסָבַבsâbab · to turn: surroundH5437
- like beesדְּבוֹרָהdebôrâh debôrâh · beeH1682
- they are quenchedדָּעַךְdâ‛ak · to put outH1846
- as the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- of thornsקוֹץqôts qôts · thornH6975
- for in the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- I will destroyמוּלmûl · to circumciseH4135
Cross-references for Psalms 118:12
- Deuteronomy 1:44And the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do, and drove you back from Seir to Hormah.
- Psalms 83:14As the fire burns the woods, And as the flame sets the mountains on fire,
- Ecclesiastes 7:6For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
- Isaiah 27:4Fury is not in Me. Who would set briers and thorns Against Me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.
- Nahum 1:10For while tangled like thorns, And while drunken like drunkards, They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried.
- Psalms 8:9O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!
- Psalms 20:1May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
- 1 Samuel 17:45Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
- 2 Samuel 23:6But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands.
- 1 Chronicles 14:10And David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” The Lord said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.”
- 2 Chronicles 14:11And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!”
- 2 Chronicles 16:7And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand.
- 2 Chronicles 20:17You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
- 2 Chronicles 22:7His going to Joram was God’s occasion for Ahaziah’s downfall; for when he arrived, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.
Commentaries on Psalms 118:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns - I shall refer to Dr. Delaney's note on this passage. The reader has here in miniature two of the finest images in Homer; which, if his curiosity demands to be gratified, he will find illustrated and enlarged, Iliad ii., ver. 86. - . ̈́ , , ' ,̔ ' ̔ , ̔ ̔ ̈́ . - The following host, Poured forth by thousands, darkens all the coast. As from some rocky cleft the shepherd sees…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12They compassed me about like bees - (a) As thick or numerous as bees; (b) armed as bees - or, their weapons might be compared to the stings of bees. They are quenched as the fire of thorns - The Septuagint and the Vulgate render this, “They burn as the fire of thorns.” The connection would seem to demand this, but the Hebrew will not bear it. The figure is changed in the Hebrew, as is not uncommon. The mind of the psalmist at first recalls the number and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-12Strength comes from the name of the LORD. This is shown by the threefold repetition of the attackers, the name of the LORD, and the victory he gives. Even when hostile people surrounded the psalmist, the Lord extinguished them like burning thorns (see Isaiah 9:18; 10:17).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1210-12. Though as numerous and irritating as bees [Psa 118:12], by God's help his enemies would be destroyed.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 118:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 118
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries